Shock-absorber.



B. J. DRYER.

SHOCK ABSORBER.

Patnted Jan.

PPLICATO-N FILED FEB. i9, 1914' RENEWED DEC. 18,1915.

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snecsnnsonssut v l Specification of Letters Patent.

lPaite-n'ted dan., 25'@ 'lltilttt Application led February 19, 1914,' Serial No, 819,727. Renewed December '521, 3.9155, Serial Ito. t't' To all whomz'tlmag/ concern Be it known that' I, BnNJAMiN J. DRYER, a citizen of the United States*j and a resident of the city of New York7 borough of Manand operation of air cushioning devices or shock absorbers so as to be reliable 'and etlicient in use,comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, install and keep in operative condition, of a neat and pleasing appearance, and capable of being inflated to varying degrees according to the Bload imposed upon the vehicle.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel, simile and eliicient cushioning device which embodes a' movable clement that is shaekled or otherwise connected withthe vehicle spring and h as air cushioning elements' above and below the same 'for absorbing the shocks or jolts which would otherwise be imparted tothe vehicle body Adue to obstructions` depressions and unevennesses in the road suriace.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved cushioning element which is capable of vertical compression within a cylindrical. or other guide without a frictional engagement or binding with such guide.

An additional object of the invention is the production ot a multigcellular longitudinally-compressible air-containing cushioning element having' novel means `lor prevent ing lateral expansion so .that said element can be mounted within a tubula guide or housing and be freely compre :d or ei;- panded withoutfbindingg in the latter.

With such objects in view, and others which will appear ,as the description proceeds, the invention comprises various no el featuresot' construction andarrangement ci f" i its general objects to improve and simplify the construction sorbers at parts which will be set forth with partienlarity in the following description and claims appended, hereto. I f

ln the accompanying. drawing,v which illustrates one embodiment et the invention, and .wherein similar characters ci reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, Figure l is a sectional view of the rear axle of an automobile7 'showing the cushioning device or shock absorber in 'elevation and connected with the-axle spring and body; Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section oi the shock absorber; and Fig. 3 is a side view of the upper cushioning element or cellular structure, showingr the sanie'in normal condition by full lines and in compressed eondition by dotted lines.

ln the present instance the yeushioning deV vice or shock absorber A. is shown applied to one oi the springs oit a vehicle, but it is to be understood that there will be shock abrear springs so that the shock absorbers will lenient-ary capacity to the usual in og f i l designa `seini-ell1ptical spring l is mounted in the usual marmer7 having the usual connection 3 at its iront endT with the trarne 4 for the j, and the rear end.

I the spring 2 is connected `wi n the shock absorber, which latter is also connected with a bracket 6 onf lug 8 on the body of the shockabsorber.'I

The 'shock absorber comprises a lower section 'c and an upper section o', which are `both pret y, although not necessarily, oi

cylindrical 'torni'and suitably connected t0. l

roi' instance, .by the section o" itc the upper enlarged portion 9 gether, s. screwine' ot the s# ion o. cylinder c v ger 1G vv ich if chanibered `and contains a has its lower end l2 fastlie 4upper end oi' f bv a pivot orpiu M extremity ofthe spring; extending tened on lthe shan with the 'vehicle alii'our sirinffsi or at least at the Slidable in the section or 1tically reciprocating plun- .Y v

los

sl55 and 'i7 in the piston l() and cylinder a. these openings j being just'large enough to provide for the necessary play-of the moving parts and to enable the lowerend of th'e shackle to be -pulled out far.- enough to enable the spring to beaconnectedl or disconnected. Cushionin-g'elements Band-C are disposed respeca tively. abo-ve .and'below thepiston 10. the

upper cushioning element having a greaterl range of action than the lower because it must -withstand'the downward movements "pf the vehicle-body, while the lower lcush- Ioning element withstands 'the upper or re- 1'5 compressed-air-containing cellular structure boimd movements.

The cushioning element Bjcomprises-a which. occupies the upper section a" of the l"bodyi or casing of the shock absorber, and

this .cellular structure is preferably,l although noty necessarily, made of rubber or other' suitable material in the form of a plu'- 'rality of' balls lb integrally or otherwise con- 'nected y together and intercommunicating through passages 1S,- so that the air pressure will be uniform in'all the balls.

lt is necessary to prevent the balls b from expanding horizontally when they are subjected tocompression by the upward move.-

ment ofthe pistn 10, for such'horizontal' expansion would causefrictionai engagel merit with the housing a' in which they are.

located, whereby compression would be resisted: For this purpose the equatorial zone ot' each ball is surrounded by va metallic or other non-expanding ring 19 retained in a groove 2O surrounding theball. This ring "'19 is of such diameter that it will slide lontic-nsA intermediate these zones.

gitudinally of the housing a without binding. The'necls 22 between adjacent ballsv full line's'indicate the balls when Ain normal condition, while the dotted lin-es represent .the balls somewhat compressed. The lower ball is fitted to aseat '23, while the upper ball is iitted to aseat .'24 which is screwed or otherwise fastened in the tubular extension of the casing a'. such extension .being provided ywith a removable cap :'26 to permit an air supply pump or equivalent 'means to be connected with'the'infla'ting valve nipple. '2T upper ball. The airis compressed in the ballstto the desired pressure and is' auto-` matically retained by ing v-ilve '2'. and after once nlated, the Pressure will be j maintained indeinitely.

The rebound cushioning -element C is shown as a single *bally c, but any number of ballsv the seat of the inflatmay be employed, their construction being similar to the balls in the upper cushioning element'. An intlating nipple 29 and valve 530 are providedV with balls c, and a removable cap 31 applied to the lower end of the `casing protects the said nipple. iVhen the body rebounds or moves upwardly the casing of the shock absorber moves upwardly therewith, while the p'istoulO is relati-vely stationary, and as a result the cushioning elem-ent C -is compressed.l and in so doing it absorbs the shock. B v reason ot' the lcushioning elements o-f the'shock absorber the range of flexibility of the resilient sus pension mea'nfsbetween the axle and body is greatly increased,4 and the up and down movements of the body are retarded with a progressively increasing resistance which is conducive -to the maximum smoothness and comfort of running. The shock ahsorbers require no .attention except for occasional inflation, and they can be applied to an automobile at relatively little expense as compared with other air cushioning devices used.

l From the foregoing descrip-tion taken in connection with the accompanying draw,- ings, the advantages of the construction and method "of operatirn will be readily understood by those skilled inthe art to which the invent-ien appertains, and while I have described the principleof operation, together with the device which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereohl desire to have it understood that the device shown A. is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made when desired as 'are within the scopeof the appended claims'.

Having thus described my invention, claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent: v

l. A shock absorber comprising relatively movable parts, a compre'ssible cushioning element disposed between and yieldingly opposing the relative movement of the said parts, `one o'fsa'id parts forming a guide for the cushioning element, and means for preventing the cushioning element from expanding into frictional engagement with the guide. A i

2, Ashock absorber comprising relatively movable parts,`a compressible cushioning element disposed between and yieldingly opposing therelative movement of the said parts, one ofsaid parts vforming a guide for the cushioning element7 said element consisting of a plurality of resilient bodies diswhich is-fastened' to the posed in a line` and amember surrounding each of thebodies of the said element and slidable in the guidev for preventing the ele- Vment from' expanding into lfrictional eni may be inilated, and means surrounding said body and preventing its expansion against the guide.

4. A shock absorber comprising ay plunger and a casing, respectively connected to relavtively movableI parts of a vehicle, a pneumatic cushioning-element having a flexible wall, 1n said casing, and means surrounding Y said element and preventing its expansion against the casing.

5. A shock absorber comprising a plunger and a casing, respectively connected to relativelymovable parts of a vehicle, a pneumatic cushioning element having a flexible wall, in said casing, a ring surrounding said element and preventing its expansion into engagement with the casing, and means permitting inflation of said body.

6. A shock absorber comprising a 'casing' and a plunger connected to relatively movable parts yof 'a vehicle respectively, a multicellular ieXible-Walled ,cushioning-element between the plunger and the casing, a valve whereby said element may be inflated, and means for preventing expansion of. the element into engagement with the casing.l

7. A shock absorber comprising a guide and'a plunger connected to relatively movable parts of a vehicle respectively, a multicellular elastic-walled cushioning body between the top of the plunger andthe guide, an elastic-walled cushioning body between the'bottom of the plunger and the guide,

BENJAMIN JAMES DRYER.

Witnesses:

' CHAS. D. STEFFENS,

GEORGE WALZ. 

